Forms fastening



17, 15570 F. l.. vA'rH Formsmswnms l Filed may s. 19e? NVENTOR FRANCIS Leo vATH M Q/My A TTORNE Y United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 282-115 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to forms fastening. The invention relates more particularly to means for fastening together a plurality of business forms in a continuous manifold assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In a continuous manifold assembly it is necessary to attach the superposed sheets or strips or plies together in such a manner that relative movement between adjacent sheets or strips or plies is permitted during curved or -angular movement thereof or during folding thereof. However, it is necessary that accurate or precise registry exist between adjacent sheets or plies during impressioning upon the sheets or plies of the manifold assembly.

Numerous types and styles of forms fastening means have been devised for attaching together superposed sheets or plies of continuous business forms in a manifold assembly. However, most of the known forms fastening means have seriously objectionable features in regard thereto.

lSome of the form fastening means which have been devised severaly limit the degree of movement between adjcent sheets or plies, and are thus objectionable. Excessive limitation of movement between adjacent sheets or plies causes considerable stress upon the outer sheets or plies and results in breaking and tearing; this is particularly true if the sheets or plies are perforated. Furthermore, excessive limitation of movement between adjacent sheets or plies may cause slipping or severing of the fastening means, which is of course objectionable. Furthermore, such slipping or severing of the fastening means frequently permits objectionable tenting or misregister or the like.

Other forms fastening means are objectionable because they control relative movement between forms in only one direction of movement thereof.

Other forms fastening means are objectionable because they permit excessive relative movement between sheets or plies, and thus there is negligible control of the relative movement.

An object of this invention is to provide forms fastening means by which there is an optimum degree of control of relative movement between adjacent forms in a manifold assembly.

Another object of this invention is to provide such means by which control is obtained in a plurality of directions of relative movement between adjacent sheets or strips or plies.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of the invention, combinations thereof, the method of manufacture, and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides means by which a plurality of connector members or tabs are formed in a sheet or strip or ply for attachment of the connector members or tabs to adjacent sheets for controlling or limiting relative movement between the adjacent sheets or strips or plies in a manifold assembly. The tabs or connector members are formed in sets or pairs. Each pair or set of the connector members or tabs are in in contiguous relationship.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEWS OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plurality of sheets or strips of a manifold assembly which are attached together by fastening means of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 2 2 0f FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the sheets or strips of the assembly slightly separated, the sheets being attached together by fastening means of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, drawn on a reduced scale, taken substantially on line `4-4 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view, drawn on a slightly larger scale than FIGURE 4 and on a smaller scale than FIGURES 2 and 3, of a plurality of sheets attached together by forms fastening means of this invention, the sheets being of two dilerent types or thicknesses and alternately disposed. In this ligure, the sheets are shown partially separated.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary top plan view, drawn on substantially the same scale as FIGURE 4, of a sheet or strip of manifold assembly, illustrating other forms fastening means of this invention.

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sheet of FIGURE 6, further illustrating the forms fastening means of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary top plan view of a sheet or strip of a mani-fold assembly, illustrating other forms fastening means of this invention.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of the sheet of FIGURE 8 further illustrating the forms fastening means of FIGURE 8.

DESCRIPTION `OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGURE 1 4 show a plurality of sheets or strips or plies 16 which are in superposed relationship and which are attached together by fastening means of this invention. The plurality of sheets or strips or plies 16 may comprise a manifold assembly or assemblies. Each of the sheets or strips or plies 16 is shown as being provided with a row of pin feed holes 18 adjacent an edge thereof. Each hole 18 in each sheet or strip 16 is aligned with a hole 18 in each of the other sheets or strips 16 in the assembly for insertion of a movable pin therethrough for movement of the assembly.

The sheets or strips or plies 16 in the assembly shown in FIGURES 1-4, from the uppermost sheet 16 to the lower-most sheet 16, are referred to as sheets 16a, 16b, 16C, 16d, and 16e. Each of the sheets 16b, 16e, and 16d is provided with means for attachment thereof to its adjacent upper and lower sheet Adjacent the row of holes 18 or in any other suitable position, each of the sheets 16b and 16d has a row of pairs or setsrof tabs 22. The tabs 22 in each pair or set thereof are in juxtaposition. f

FIGURE 4 shows one of Vthe pairsY of tabs 22 in the sheet 16d. Each pair of tabs V22 is partially formed byr'a pair of spaced-apart cuts or slits 2,3, which are substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strip 16d. The pair of tabs 22 is also partially formed by a transverse cut or slit 25 which is intermediate the ends of the cuts 23 and which is joined to the cuts or slits 23, substantially normal thereto, as shown in FIGURE 4. Thus, the cuts 23and 25 are substantially in the form of a letter H in the-*strip 16d.

One of the tabs 22 has a spotof glue 26 or the like applied to the upper surface thereof, and the other tab 22 hasa spot of glue 26Vor the like applied to the-lower surface thereof. The tab 22 which has the glue spot 26 on the; upper surface thereof is adhesively attached to the sheet 16C. The tab 22 which*V has the glue spot 26 on the lower surface thereof is adhesively attached to the sheetn16e. Thus, the sheet 16d is attached to the sheet 16C and to the sheet 16e.

The sheet 16d hasYY a row of such sets or pairs of ta'bs 22 therein. The pairs of Ytabs 22 in the row thereof are shown in spaced-apart relationship, and considerable spacing may exist between each pair or set of tabs 22 and the adjacent pairs orsets of ta'bs 22 in the row thereof. Each pair of tabs 22 includes one tab which is attached to the sheet 16e and one tab 22 which is attached to the sheet16c. si

The sheet 16b has a row of spaced-apart sets or pairs of tabs 22 formed therein in the manner discussed above with respect to the sheet 16d. Each pair ofntabs 22V in the sheet V1612 includes one tab 22 which has a glue spot 26 on the upper surface thereof and which is adhesively attached-.to the sheet 16a, Each pair of tabs 22 in the sheet 1615 includes a tab 22 whichlhas a glue spot 26 on the lower surface thereof which Yis adhesively attached to the sheet 16c,"as shown in FIGURES Ziand 3.

Thus, the superposedsheets or strips 16a, 1617, 16e, 16d, and 16e are attached together by the tabs 22which are formed in the sheets'16b and 16d.

The assembly of superposed sheets or strips 16 shown in FIGURES l, 3, and 4 rnay travel arcuately or angularly or may be folded or the like. The tabs 22 permit limited relative movement between adjacent sheets or strips 16, which relative movement is necessary during such travel or folding of the assembly. However, due to the fact that the tabs 22 are arranged in balanced pairs, the sheets 16 are urged to return to desired aligned superposed relationship after such travel or folding= Therefore, whenever the sheets 16 are in substantially coplanar relationship as shown in FIGURE 2, the hoies 18 of the sheets 16 of the assembly are in alignment for receiving movable pins or the like for feeding movement of the assembly. It is to be understood, of course, that pin feed holes are not necessary in the sheets or strips 16 and the assembly may be moved by other suitable means. The forms fastening means of this invention maintains desired alignment between adjacent sheets or strips during impressioning thereupon while permitting relative movement therebetween during travel thereof.

All of the sheets 16 of the assembly of FIGURES 1-4 lbe of substantially the same thickness dimension. However, some of the sheets 16 of the assembly may be of a lesser or greater thickness dimension. Some of Each of the intermediate sheets or transfer sheets 32 is provided with pairs of ta'bs 36, each pair of tabs 36 being formed by cuts which are substantially innthe form of a letter H, as discussed above with respect to the tabs 22 of FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and 4. Thus, two contiguous tabs 36 are produced. One tab 36 in each pair thereof has a spot of glue 38l or the like on the upper surface thereof and is attached thereby to the sheet 30' which is immediately aboverthe internediate sheet or transfer sheet 3,2. The other tab 36 in each pair thereof has a spotrof glue 38 or the like on theYV lower surface thereof and is attached thereby Yto the record sheet 30 which is Yimrnediately below the transfer sheet 32. Thus, a plurality of record sheets 30 and interposed Ytransfer sheets 32 are attached, togethe in a set or pack by the attachment means of this invention.

In like manner alternately shperposed record and transfer sheets may be attached together by tabs formed in the record sheets and attached to adjacent transfer sheets. L

FIGURES 6 and 7 show a set or pair of tabs 40 of this inventionV formed in a sheet or strip 44. The pair of tabs 40 arel'produced by a single cut 42 which is generally in the shape of a letter S.Y Thus, each tab 40 has an edge which is arcuateiin shape. One of the tabs Y40 has a spot of glueV 46 on the upper surface thereof for attachment to a sheet, not shown, which is immediately above the sheet 44 in a set or pack of superposed sheet'sr The other tab 40 has a spot of glue 4-5 on the lower surface thereof for attachment to a sheet, not shown, which is immediately below the sheet 44 in nan assembly or set or pack of sheets or strips.

The sheet or strip 44 has a row of spaced-apart cuts 42 aiong the length thereof which forms a row of pairs of tabs 40` for attachment to adjacent Vsheets or strips in an assembly'ithereof. Y

The sheet or strip 44 is shownE as having a row of pin feed*V holes 4SV thereinfY FIGURES 8 and 9 show a set or pair oftabs 50 which are formed in asheet or'istrip 52 by intersecting cuts 54 which are generally in the form of a letter X. T hus each tab 50 is triangular in shape. One of the tabs 50 has a spot of glue 56 on the upper surface thereof for attachment to a sheet, not shown, which is immediately above the sheet or strip 52. The other tab 50 has a spot of glue 56 on the lower surface thereof for attachment to a sheet, not shown, immediately below the sheet or strip 52. A row of pin feed holes 58 is shown in the sheet 52.

Tabs of other shapes and of any suitable size may be formed in pairs or in sets in a sheet for attachment to sheets which are immediately adjacent thereto.

Therefore, in accordance with this invention sets or pairs of tab-s are formed in a sheet or strip. The tabs are attached to adjacent sheets or strips for attachment together of a plurality of sheets or strips in a set or pack or web. Thus, the sheets or strips in the pack or `web or set are permitted limited relative movement but are urged to return to a given desired relationship.

The invention having thus been described, the following is claimed:

1. In a manifold business form assembly, a plurality of superposed continuous sheets, at least one of the sheets including transfer means, there being at least a first sheet and a second sheet and a third sheet, in which the second sheet is the middle sheet, the second sheet being provided with a series of tabs extending along the length of the sheet, the tabs being arranged in pairs, the tabs in each pair being juxtaposed and formed by at least one cut, one of the tabs in each pair being adhesively attached only to the first sheet, the other tab in each pair being adhesively attached only to the third sheet.

2. The assembly of claim 1 in which the tabs are formed by a pair of cuts which intersect said one cut.

3. The assembly of claim 2 in which said cuts are substantially straight and said one cut is substantially normal to said pair of cuts.

4. The assembly of claim 1 in which the one cut is substantially in the shape of the letter S.

5. The assembly of claim 1 in which a second cut intersects said one cut to form said pair of tabs.

A6. The assembly of claim 1 in which each pair of tabs is formed by at least two cuts, each of which is a straight line.

7. The assembly of claim 1 in which said one of the sheets is a transfer sheet which is disposed between two record sheets, the series of tabs being formed in the transfer sheet, one tab of each pair of tabs being attached only to one of the record sheets and the other tab of each pair of tabs being attached only to the other record sheet.

6 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,392 4/1938 Mabon 282-115 2,259,358 10/ 1941 Templeton. 2,907,585 10/ 1959 Sornberger et al. 3,066,957 12/1962 Huffman. 3,112,125 11/1963 Darrow.

FOREIGN PATENTS 1,180,379 10/1964 Germany.

OTHER REFERENCES Paragon, German application Das 1,102,543, March 1961.

JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner 

